McGingley progress

We stopped by the McGinley on our way home from shopping and took some pictures of the progress. It's coming along quite nicely; we just wish the ranch itself were in working order. Jason tried to move his cows the other day and the fence of the pasture he was trying to go into was laying flat for over half a mile.

Mom, notice the molding.

The master closet with doors.

Thanksgiving Fun

We had a fun Thanksgiving. Myron and Caroline Durfee are on the Rex Unit (it is the farthest unit east and is about an hour and a half from our house). The boys had a good time playing with their kids. They made pumpkin pie turkeys for dessert and had had a good time jumping on the trampoline. Jason and I enjoyed the socializing (since it happens so rarely).

Our Friday shopping didn't go as planned, but we were still successful. Jason and the kids did pretty good. Kache told me he didn't see the train in the back of the suburban. He's been asking all day if we can have Christmas now. What he doesn't know is that the train is for his birthday in February. Poor kid will have to wait even longer for the train he didn't see.

Thanksgiving plans

What are everyone's plans for Thanksgiving? Are you doing any shopping the day after Thanksgiving?

We have been invited to some friends' house tomorrow. Jason's excited. He didn't want to have a big dinner with just us and he gets to watch football with a friend. I'm excited to go shopping on Friday. Well, not really. I don't really like to shop, but I am excited for the deals and I'm excited that Jason is coming with me. He'll probably stay in the car with the kids and sleep, but at least I won't have to make the 2 hour drive to Scottsbluff by myself.

I hope everyone has a nice Thursday and Friday.

P.S. Happy Birthday, Mijken!

First memories

I thought I'd write my first memories of Jason. The first two were before I knew who he was.

I was invited to the Livestock Center for the Animal Science Opening Social. They had a three-legged barrell race in the arena. Jason was paired up with his friend Jamie. They were in the middle of the pack when half way through the race they tripped and were run over by the other contestants. I remember feeling so bad for that couple and thought they had to be so embarrassed (because I would have been).

The next time I saw him was at the Ag Opening Social. We had a dance contest in the shop. I was entered with a boy who had just won the pie-eating contest (I was afraid he was going to throw up on me) and Jason was dancing with his friend Brooke. Jason and Brooke won the contest; their prizes were a rope and a BYU-Idaho sweatshirt.

My first memory after actually meeting Jason was when I was walking down the hall in the Benson building and I saw him coming out of the glass study room by the computer lab. He was looking up and smiling at me when his boot heel caught on the threshold and he stumbled out into the hall. He was already falling for me.

Mr. Mischievous

Every time I turn around Ryder is getting into something he shouldn't.

Blog Surfing

So I've been blog surfing this evening. It's so fun to catch up on people's lives. Blogging is a fun way to see how people are doing and where they are.

As I was blog surfing, I was also reminiscing on times past, the places we've lived and the people we've known. Since Jason and I have been married, we've moved 10 times (sometimes just to a different apartment in the same town). We've lived in Victor, ID; Basin City, WA; Rexburg, ID; Laramie, WY; Torrington, WY; Lakeside, NE. Our kids have all been born in different states: Idaho, Wyoming, and Nebraska.

Some of the places we've lived:

Columbia View Farms, Basin City, Washington. Our first home. We lived here for two months while Jason did an internship on the farm.

Rexburg, Idaho. This apartment was right behind the drive-in movie theater, so during the summers we could watch the movie in bed.

Torrington, Wyoming. We lived here for eight months while Jason did research for and wrote his thesis.

Rex Ranch, Pawlet Unit, Lakeside, Nebraska. We've lived in this house for almost two years - the longest we've ever lived in one place.

Rex Ranch, McGinley house, Lisco, Nebraska. Our next journey.

Odds and Ends

We spent a few hours at the McGinley last night. The master closet is almost completely built. Elder Nielsen was putting the counter tops on. The carpet will be in December 1; Elder Nielsen thinks we can move in the day after that, but there's still so much more work to be done (the bathroom, hardwood floors, painting) and I'm not wild about having to keep rearanging furniture to finish it all, so we probably won't be in until the middle of December at the earliest. But we want to go on vacation sometime in December, and it just keeps getting moved around and shortened. This is the least motivated I've ever been to move. I usually enjoy moving (it's something new and I get to organize stuff), but this time I'm having a hard time getting it done.


In other news, Dallie is rolling over (front to back). I was suprised since she didn't have any tummy time the two weeks we spent at the McGinley. Jason is spending some time home with us today. We should go down to the McGinley, but I need Saturdays to get all my work done in prparation for Sundays. Jason is changing the oil in our van and helping pack and playing with the boys. We haven't been able to spend time with him since last March. It was nice to sleep in past 5:30 this morning and have breakfast all together. It reminded me of our college days...sometimes I miss those days.

4 months old

We celebrated Dallie's 4-month birthday yesterday by being sick. The boys threw up all Monday night long; I only threw up once. Luckily Jason wasn't sick so he was able to take care of the boys. Dallie hasn't gotten it yet, and I hope she doesn't get it. I've spent the morning disinfecting and cleaning. We are supposed to go down to the McGinley today, but I'm still not feeling very well and the boys are still really pale, so I don't think we will go.

More Work Done

Mom and Dad put in their last hours on the McGinley (until next time they come to visit). We're all extremely exhausted. I'm looking forward to staying home tomorrow and cleaning. I'm sure Mom and Dad are long past ready to go home - except they still have a week of traveling and visiting family before they get home.

Dad and Jason got the dishwasher and oven hooked up. The kitchen is bigger than I thought it would be. I was afraid it would be really narrow, but it isn't at all. I think I can live in that house now that I have a new kitchen. I'll still be scared to go down to the basement, but at least there is a door at the top of the basement stairs that I can close. Elder Nielsen will make it over this week to get some more work done. We hope to move in the first part of December.


The master bedroom and the bathroom are so much brighter with a paint job.


I am glad Mijken gave Dallie this winter suit. She wore it everyday there. She doesn't like her pacifier anymore; she always sucks her thumb. Her latest trick is sticking her tongue out and spitting.

More Construction

Mom and I went to Scottsbluff today. We got quarterround for the rooms that will have hard wood and a kitchen faucet (which I am not in love with). Jason was able to spend the day on the McGinley again. He was supposed to ship cows today (and every other day it has snowed in the past two weeks), but the weather didn't cooperate. He has 76 cows left and he can't seem to get rid of them. So Dad and Jason finished installing all the cupboards. I could have done with less drawers and more cupboards, but I will take what I get.

Dallie's room. I don't like the color too much (it's more peach than pink), but I will leave it for now.

The wallpaper was torn out of the bathroom and the guys put a little texture on the walls. This bathroom doesn't have a shower, so that is on the list of things that has to get done before we move in.

The master bedroom. Jason and Dad were able to get the paneling off and textured the walls. Hopefully we'll prime the walls tomorrow. I haven't decided on a paint color for the master. Below is a picture of the existing closet in the master (it is under the stairs to the attic). Needless to say, we are putting a closet at one end of the room.

This is the wall the closet will be on.

Thursday's work

Most of the cabinets are in and the microwave is installed, which was a big job. It took four or five tries. We hope they install the dishwasher today and level the fridge. Elder Nielsen will be doing the counter tops. Notice the cabinet that does not have the cathedral doors. We hope they will send the matching doors because we do not want to take the cupboard down. The boys had a great time making houses and bridges and tunnels out of the boxes. We painted Dallie's room, but no picture.

A Little Closer

Mom got the boys' room painted. It is finished except a little touch-up painting, carpet, and hopefully new outlets and light switch (those probably won't happen until later).

The vinyl is finished in the kitchen and nook. It's nice to be able to walk on a nice floor without shoes on. Dad and Jason hung a few cupboards tonight.

Exhausted

More painting for today. The kitchen painting is totally done except for the pantry. Part of the vinyl is laid. I imagine my parents will have it totally done by the time we get there tomorrow.

We are totally exhausted. We got home tonight at 10. I don't know how my parents can keep going. I fall asleep when I sit down to feed Dallie. I guess the key is not to sit down.

Jason gets to come help tomorrow. He was supposed to ship off some of his cows, but the roads have been so bad that the trucks can't get to where they need to go. It's days like today I'm glad I have 4-wheel drive.